


Sights from Above

by Andrateia



Series: to see past the clouds [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Family Fluff, Fluff, Human Experimentation, I'm Sorry, Inspired by Maximum Ride, Lots of Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:55:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andrateia/pseuds/Andrateia
Summary: He's thankful. If they hadn't found him, hadn't reached out to him all those years ago, then he would probably already be dead.Ortheywould have found him instead. And he doesn't want to think about that.But it's not over yet. He knows he can always trust his gut, and this time, his gut tells him that on this day, as he enters Karasuno for the first time, it's all just the beginning.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Hinata Shouyou's Family, Hinata Shouyou & Karasuno Volleyball Club
Series: to see past the clouds [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552072
Comments: 12
Kudos: 33





	Sights from Above

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> I first wrote about this AU a few years ago. Close to five, I think. Last month, I thought about it again and told myself that if I wanted to get back to writing, I should start with rewriting the 1000 words I had for this. As usual I took my time (but assignments also decided to kick my ass) but here is the first chapter!  
> Do not expect regular updates from me as I'm currently trying not to think of all the exams I'll have in a few weeks.
> 
> Also, first time writing for haikyuu and you should have expected the angst. Sorry not sorry.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Edit: I know it's been months and I am really sorry. However this is my last undergrad year at uni and I've been swamped with work. I will work on this during the summer, so don't expect any new chapter before the end of June. Sorry.

1610-W. That was the only appellation he had known. It was not a name, they had no names; only humans had those. He wasn’t human. Then again, maybe he was? He wasn’t sure of what, who he was. All he had been referred to was 1610-W, and all those of his generation had the same pattern. 

He felt sorry (but did he really feel?) for them, they hadn’t made it out when the others (but so, so similar, why were they similar? His generation should have been the only one) had opened the cages. He had taken the opportunity as soon as the lock had broken. He could finally see the other world, could finally see more than grey and white walls, cages and cages lined up. Did they have huge domes in which he’d be free, like the ones for training? Maybe bigger? He hoped so. 

But they had broken his lock, opened his cage, and he had flown. He’d flown the fastest he could, away from the cages, following the others - they had to know where to leave, if they’d found their way in the School. He hadn’t seen them before, so he was sure they had to come from the outside (were there more of them outside? Had they lied to them? He wasn’t alone). He had followed them the fastest he could, but once they were out in the open, he had been left behind quickly. Even the small dove had been faster than him.

He wasn’t outstanding. He had never been. That’s why they usually took him to other rooms, apart from the others, more often, why they trained him more often (but it wasn’t really training, was it?). He had to be faster, faster, get the two appendices on his back to spread more easily, always moving them faster, more easily, _move._ He had to float easily, flap easily, _fly_ easily. But he couldn’t, he’d never been good enough.

And the day he was finally free, he had tried to fly away, the furthest he could. He had to escape, before they could catch him, even if he couldn’t fly fast, even if the appendices on his back were heavy, slowing him down when they were the ones helping him escape. Faster, fly faster, faster faster faster fly fly fly always have to be faster always have to fly further need to _escape_

When he couldn’t take it anymore, when he had to stop, he started walking, running, even further, until he finally found a town. And this is where he had had to live until now, in the little streets of this town, trying to find enough to eat in the restaurants’ dumpsters, staling clothes in shops, sleeping in different streets every day, hiding from people; he had learned back at the School that he wasn’t supposed to exist (he wasn’t human, he couldn’t exist amongst them, yet why did he look like one?). Normal people didn’t have wings; normal people had bare backs, didn’t have merged DNA and didn’t live in cages. 

He didn’t know anyone there, as there were only a few homeless people in this place, and the only ones he had met were adults. Every time he’d stumble upon one of them, they would give him a sad look (why would a kid so young as him live in the streets? He was not like them, he was not normal, he was fine, the streets meant freedom) and usher him away. They had to subside for themselves too, they surely didn’t have time to take care of the new homeless kid in town. But they still saw that he was struggling with this new lifestyle, and would usually give him some advice before leaving him to fend for himself. Some of it was about the basics: stay hidden from the cops, go get your food in restaurants’ backyards, sleep in different places every day, learn how to dumpster dive and such, while others were more… peculiar, like how to pickpocket someone, steal from shops without suspicion, or enter the public swimming pool to shower.

He hid further in the blanket he’d found in a house’s yard. The street he was currently in was dark, on the edge of one of the main streets, but far enough for none of its streetlights to reach it. He was observing a diner, looking forward to seeing the owner close for today so he could finally get some food. It was awful, having to wait all the time. He was cold as hell, and hungry as well. But when you had to survive, it was always hard, and he wasn’t the only one trying to survive here. 

A couple came out of the diner. They weren’t from town, or he’d have seen them before. The woman led her partner to the entrance of the alley he was in. He heard her say something but they were too far for him to hear it clearly. The man answered her, looking quite nervous. The woman, as if wanting to prove her point, entered the alley. No. No, he couldn’t let them see him. If they found him, they’d report it to the cops. He didn’t want to. No!

He stood up and took all he had – the blanket, his duffel bag - in his arms. He had to get away, now. The woman was getting closer. She had raised her voice but not too loud, as if not to alert anyone. 

“Stop! Please, we want to help you!” That was what they all said. Help him, how? By getting the cops on his case? That wouldn’t help him, this was what he always answered. This is what he answered the woman. “Getting the cops to lock me up won’t help me. Locking me up has never helped me,” he muttered. She asked why, curiosity present in her voice.

“I’ve been locked up before,” he said, humouring her. After all, what could she do? She didn’t know him or his circumstances, and he didn’t know them either. “I know what happens when you try to control someone. It’s no good.”

“I’m not going to lock you up. I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to eat something with us,” she explained. “My husband and I have seen you in the streets since we arrived here. We want to help you by ourselves – well, at least those who have the guts to come and talk to you.” Guess her husband really was scared of him, huh. “Come with us and we’ll help you, at least until we go back home.” 

She seemed nice, and was quite pretty, with long, fiery red hair a shade darker than his that reached her shoulders and the nice looking black dress she was wearing. It worried him, that someone seemed ready to lend him a hand (they’re probably just lying, they’re just agents dispatched to find him, he’s going back they found him he doesn’t want to), but she didn’t look like anyone from the School, and she had this aura around her, he found himself thinking he wanted to go with them. And before he knew it, he had made a few steps towards her.

“Don’t ever think you can fuck with me. If you do, trust me, you’ll regret it. But I’ll ask just one thing. If you want to help me, the best thing you can do is take me away from here. They’re looking for me. If they find me, I’m over.”

She looked puzzled at his words. She didn’t ask who they were or what he meant, but it was obvious she wanted to know. Eventually, too happy to make any complaints, she stepped closer, took his hand (warm, so so warm, that felt good, but she’s a _stranger_ ) – he slapped it away. Her face changed for a bit, becoming sadder, before the smile appeared again. She seemed to understand. They didn’t know each other yet, so touching was out of bounds. She led him out of the alley, and he followed silently. He had been living in the streets for what he knew was a few months, and before that he was locked up in a dog crate. This was his first time according his trust to anyone. It would be hard, but as long as they didn’t call anyone on him (scared scared scared he can’t go back he _can’t_ ), he would be okay. If they could take him away, he would be okay. As long as they didn’t know he was special _(strange not human just an experiment 1610-W)_ , he would be okay. 

“You said you were going back home soon. Home is… home is where you live and come from, right? So where’s your home? Is it near here? Or is it far away? You don’t speak the way people do here.” 

She laughed, amused at his eagerness to know more, but he could still see a tinge of something grey, sad, in her eyes. “You’re right, we don’t come from here. We come from Miyagi, that’s a long way from here in Fukuoka. We don’t use the same dialect as here, that might be why you think we talk differently. If you know geography, you should know where Miyagi is on a map, right? Or have you never gone to school before?” Noticing his reaction when she said the word “school”, she backed down and calmly asked him if he had had problems there, in “school”. He wouldn’t have dared to say he had. He didn’t think she meant the place where he came from. 

“Uh… I don’t think I can tell you about that. But I can try, I guess. I’m… probably not gonna stay with you long, though.”

She sighed and nodded, looking relieved. He hoped it would be okay. What she didn’t know, though, was that he’d stick with them until they went to this Miyagi. He’d go with them there, but once they had arrived, he would take off by himself. He knew they seemed nice, but he couldn’t bring himself to trust them. He couldn’t trust random people, and he’d trust the ones who wanted to help him even less. Even if they seemed to have no idea what the School was. After all, how could he trust them when he couldn’t even trust himself? 

*

It turned out that he wanted to completely stop seeing them. He was a danger. He was a danger to them, but if they whitecoats found out they had helped him, not just two lives would be lost, but three – and that last one hadn’t even started yet. He hadn’t planned on the woman being pregnant. He only knew that was how humans were born (maybe him too he could only hope his birth was that of a human what if he wasn’t he didn’t know what he’d do if he wasn’t if he wasn’t like them) and that Kanae was supposed to give birth in a few months.  
So to make sure that didn’t happen, he only had two options: either take off right away and never, ever go back (it hurt to even think about, they were so nice to him, he finally felt like someone cared) or try and protect them by staying with them. During the last few days, both Kanae and Ryouta had taken care of him. They had fed him, given him a space where he felt safer than ever before, and more importantly, they weren’t trying to force him to talk. It was as if they were really doing all of this from good will (and as long as he could, he would believe them he wanted to believe them but the fear the fear it was more than he could bear). 

The first thing they had done when they had managed to sit him down in their rented apartment, was to ask for his name. He hadn’t known the importance of names yet; just that people, _humans_ had them. So they had explained. She was Kanae; he was Ryouta. These were their first names, which referred to them specifically – but with the other specificity that no name was truly unique and that other people could be referred to by the same name – and due to the country’s (he knew he was in Japan that was one of the only things he knew why did he know so little he needed to know more) rules of politeness, a name which could only be used by people close enough to them (didn’t make sense why could he call them that?). Their last name, Hinata, could apparently be used by everyone, but would be strange if used by someone from their family (one more thing he didn’t have didn’t know wouldn’t have wouldn’t know) because they had the same.

So they had asked him for his, and had looked at him with something dark, so so dark in their eyes (a strong wind a storm a hurricane) when he answered 1610-W. He didn’t understand until Ryouta, who had mostly kept quiet until then, had told him with the gentlest tone he had ever heard that no, this was not a name. It was a series number. As if he were a product. As if he were one of those animals bred en masse to end up in a slaughterhouse. It just wasn’t a name. And since he didn’t have a name, why not give him one?

Kanae perked up as soon as Ryouta finished his sentence. “Shouyou,” she said quietly. “Your name should be Shouyou.” 

Ryouta turned to her with apparent surprise. “Honey, are you sure about that? We’re still not sure-“

“I am. I am certain of this. Just… Just let me have this, even if it’s for a few days.” 

Her arms were tense under the table. He could easily imagine her clenched fists. He didn’t know what they were talking about, why that name seemed to be so important, but he didn’t want to intrude on something that was so blatantly _theirs,_ so he just nodded and repeated.

“ _Shouyou._ Sounds- Sounds good, I guess. Thanks.”

Kanae smiled at him. “And maybe _you_ will be able to soar.” He froze for an instant, realising what she had just said. Did she know? How? Why didn’t she look disgusted? He was a freak. He wasn’t like them. He wasn’t human. He wasn’t human and she knew it so what did she _mean?_

Or maybe, just maybe, she didn’t mean anything. Maybe it was just a coincidence. There was no hidden meaning in what she had just said, she didn’t know. She couldn’t know. He had been careful not to show any part of his back, had paid extra attention to his feathers staying tucked in, even if it hurt a bit. So he didn’t say anything, and let the conversation continue as to not made them aware of his nerves slowly rising.

When he paid attention to them again, Ryouta still seemed a bit reluctant but was trying to steel himself, his face hardening just the slightest bit when he cleared his throat.

“It’s a good name. A strong one. Means flying heaven – most names have meanings too. And well… It’s safe to say, it goes well with Hinata, since the second kanji can also mean sunshine.”

It kind of made sense, since hi meant sun. What was confusing though, was why Ryouta would say anything about both names together. When he asked, Ryouta and Kanae had looked at each other for a moment.

“Shouyou… It’s a name both of us love, but don’t usually talk about a lot,” started Kanae, her voice lower than before and somewhat trembling. Was this sadness again? A stranger sadness than the one directed at him, something that had been lying deep in her heart for years. “This,” she softly patted her stomach, “is not our first child.” _Oh._ “We had our first nine years ago. He was absolutely beautiful, but sadly, he wasn’t able to make it. He died while the nurses were still taking care of him, only a few hours after his birth. It’s awful, but that’s how life is. We had decided to name him Shouyou. So if he couldn’t live but you, against all odds, could survive in this world but have never had a proper name, then I would like you, if you’re fine with it, to have this name in honour of him.”

So this was more important than it let on. He nodded, taking it all in. He would bear this name, and he’d survive. In memory of the son that couldn’t (but what if what if he could be there for them what if he could be part of the family what if he could be their son), he would live.

But it was days later, when he realised there was no escaping his own feelings, that, in the silence of their hotel room at night, he made up his mind.

“Can I ask you something?”

Ryouta turned to him, an easy smile on his face. “Sure, what is it?” 

Only the small nightlight was on, and Shouyou felt safer in this semi-darkness than he did under the bright neon lights of the streets. Maybe it was this sense of safety which made him keep going, maybe it was the fact that he’d finally decided to let himself trust the Hinatas a bit more. But it was important, it was _his_ (maybe not maybe they’ll throw him back out they’re human after all they’re normal they’re _not like him)_ and he wanted to know.

“If… If I told you I’m not like you, would you still want me to go home with you?” He held his knees closer to his body, back to the wall, his wings safely hidden under the Ryouta sized shirt he had borrowed.

Ryouta frowned and Kanae, who had awakened due to Ryouta’s shuffling, lifted her head above her husband’s body to give Shouyou a disapproving look.

“Shouyou… If you were to say you aren’t like me,” Ryouta pointed at himself, “or like Kanae,” he did the same with her, “then I’d tell you it’s normal. Everyone is different, in their own terms. Everyone is unique. And we’ll accept your differences no matter what.”

Tears welled up under his eyes. He expected them not to understand, it was fine. He’d just have to say it more bluntly, because he couldn’t go on without a proper answer.

“This is not what I meant. I know you’re all different too, you have hair colours, height, eyes, freckles, all those things. But I’m not talking about those.”

Kanae sat up and spoke softly. “Then what is it? You have to explain it to us, Shouyou, we have to know so we can understand.”

“It’s… I’m not like you. Not because of those things, but – please don’t freak out – because of the place I come from. And what I am.” He sighed, closed his eyes, then moved his wings – not enough for them to notice, just for his feathers to place themselves correctly after so much time being flattened against his body. “And I don’t have exact details, none of that sciency stuff you said you’d see online or on TV, but I’m pretty sure it’s not human.”

“What makes you say that?” Kanae was walking up to him, and Ryouta was getting up too. “Shouyou, you’re just a child, honey. I’m not even sure you’re thirteen years old yet. What makes you think you’re not human?”

 _Breathe in. Breathe out._ They wouldn’t throw him out. They were the best people he’d ever met, ready to take him in when no one had taken a second look at him, just a small child barely surviving in the streets. 

“Can I just show you? But please, just… don’t panic.”

Ryouta went and sat back down on the bed, dropping his arms to rest on his knees. He subtly signalled Kanae to do the same with a movement of his head and before she gave Shouyou some space, she took his hand, squeezed it a bit and kissed him on the forehead. And with this, he got enough courage (who was he kidding he’d probably be back in the streets in a few minutes why would he get his hopes up why was he doing this) to stand up, take Ryouta’s shirt off and slowly, oh so slowly spread his wings.

He knew how they looked. Two jet black wings, long, ruffled feathers and a span of three meters – all in all, it made him look scrawnier than the usual. His height and build were deceitful; he wasn’t the twelve years old the Hinatas thought he was, he was barely reaching his tenth year – and that was if no one there had lied to him. But all of them had looked older than they were.  
He had closed his eyes in anticipation of the fear in their eyes, but he had no way of escaping the small gasps they let out. 

“Shouyou… Shouyou, open your eyes.”

Kanae’s voice kept him from zoning out more. He did as she had asked, his shoulders curling forward in an attempt to look even smaller (they’d always told him being taller was a good thing but they were wrong they were wrong everything was wrong he just wanted to be like them he just wanted to be normal) than his wings made him seem.

They looked surprised. Surprised, not horrified. Surprised, but there was this small spark of amazement in Ryouta’s eyes. Kanae even appeared somewhat relieved.

“Shouyou,” she said once more before giggling. “ _Shouyou,_ we knew. You know, keeping your wings so tight against you like this isn’t the best way to keep your feathers healthy.” She went to her nightstand and rummaged a few seconds in the drawer before turning back to them, a slick black feather about thirty centimetres long in her hands. “You’re bound to lose some of them along the way.”

His eyes went wide. When had he lost such a big feather? Where had they found it? And most importantly, _why hadn’t they said something?_

His voice cracked. “You knew? You knew and you didn’t say anything?”

Ryouta leaned forward, a small smile gracing his face. “We just figured out you might want to tell us yourself, that’s all. It’s about you, and we’re just two people who want the best for you, even though we’ve only known you for a few days. We weren’t sure you wouldn’t panic if we asked you about it first. So we just waited and hoped you’d trust us enough with this.”

The fear left him at once. It felt so strange. They trusted him. They had wanted him to be the one to take the first step. They had given him the choice to reveal who he was and they had never changed their attitude towards him. _They trusted him._

Before he could stop them, the tears had begun flowing.

“And,” he hiccupped, “and you still want me to come with you?”

Kanae laughed, a light, harmonious laugh (it seemed so much brighter and he hoped he’d get to hear it every day of his life) and taking the two steps that had separated them (the distance had seemed so much bigger but it was closing was closing so quickly and he loved it), slid her two arms around his small shoulders, bringing him close to her chest, _hugging him._

“Shouyou, listen to me. We’ve asked you to come with us before finding out, that’s true, but we would never, ever, take it back. You’re part of our family now. And you might be a bit more special than other kids, need a bit more freedom, but you still have as many feelings, if not more, than anyone else and that makes you as human as all of us. So you have wings. What about it? You should be proud of them, they’re beautiful and they give you the opportunity to be so much more than we could ever hope to be. They make you _you,_ Shouyou. And we’d never willingly let you go back out there knowing we could take care of you and give you the home any child deserves. So please, I’m asking you again. Come home with us.”

He felt Ryouta’s arms embrace them both. He dug his face into Kanae’s chest, hoping the sniffling wouldn’t make her shirt too wet. He didn’t try to hide the grin on his face, a happiness bigger than his small body could contain.

“Alright.”

He'd go with them. And whatever might happen, he knew he'd always do his best to protect the three of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated! I also take constructive criticism so go wild.
> 
> If you want to scream with me about haikyuu or anything else (and maybe motivate me to write, I'm lazy), feel free to do so on twitter (@purpureusgalaxy) or on instagram (@andrateiart)!


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